Thornton 911 call transcription

Manchester, Conn. (WTNH) - The audio tapes have been released of gunman Omar Thornton, the man who shot and killed eight people then himself at a Manchester beer distributor.

Below is the transcription of the four minute conversation a State Police Dispatcher had with Thornton prior to him killing himself.

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Dispatcher: State Police

Omar Thornton: IS THIS 911?

Disptacher: Yeah, can I help you?

Omar Thornton: THIS IS OMAR THORNTON, THE SHOOTER OVER HERE IN MANCHESTER.

Dispatcher: Yes where are you sir?

Omar Thornton: I AM IN THE BUILDING. UH...YOU PROBABLY WANT TO KNOW THE REASON I SHOT THIS PLACE UP. THIS PLACE HERE IS A RACIST PLACE.

Dispatcher: Yep. I understand that.

Omar Thornton: THEY TREAT ME BAD OVER HERE AND ALL THE OTHER BLACK PEOPLE EMPLOYEES BAD OVER HERE. SO I TOOK IT INTO MY OWN HANDS AND HANDLED THE PROBLEM. I WISH I COULD'VE GOTTEN MORE OF THE PEOPLE.

Dispatcher: Yeah, Are you armed sir? Do you have a weapon with you?

Omar Thornton: OH YEAH, I'M ARMED.

Dispatcher: How many guns do you have with you?

Omar Thornton: I GOT ONE NOW, AND I LEFT ONE OUT IN THE FACTORY THERE.

Dispatcher: Ok Sir.

Omar Thornton: I AM NOT GOING TO KILL ANYONE ELSE, THOUGH.

Dispatcher: We are going to get you to surrender yourself somehow here and not make the situation any worse.

Omar Thornton: THESE COPS ARE GOING TO KILL ME!

Dispatcher: No they are not. We are just gonna have to get you to relax.

Omar Thornton: I AM RELAXED, CALMED DOWN.

Dispatcher: Have ya turn yourself over.

Omar Thornton: WE JUST TALKING, YOU'RE GONNA PLAY SOMETHING ON THE NEWS, I AM GONNA BE POPULAR, MAKE SURE YOU DO THE RIGHT THING...SWAT JUST DROVE IN ARMY GEAR...THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE I'M AT BUT YOU CAN TRACE IT FROM THIS PHONE CALL. YEAH THESE PEOPLE HERE ARE CRAZY, THEY TREAT ME BAD FROM THE START HERE. RACIST COMPANY. TREAT ME BAD.

Dispatcher: Yeah

Omar Thornton: I AM THE ONLY BLACK DRIVER GUY THEY GOT HERE. TREAT ME BAD. TREAT ME BAD ALL THE TIME.

Dispatcher: It's a horrible situation, I understand that.

Omar Thornton: YOU DON'T HAVE TO CALM ME DOWN I AM ALREADY CALMED DOWN, I AM NOT GOING TO KILL ANYONE ELSE. I JUST WANTED TO TELL MY STORY SO YOU CAN PLAY IT BACK ANYWAY.

Dispatcher: You are going to help me get out of the building.

Omar Thornton: ALRIGHT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT. I ALREADY HAVE THAT TAKEN CARE OF. I DON'T NEED ANYBODY TO TALK ME OUT OF THE BUILDING.

Dispatcher: Where in the building are you, Omar?

Omar Thornton: I AM NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THAT. WHEN THEY FIND ME, THAT'S WHEN EVERYTHING GOING TO BE OVER.

Dispatcher: Yeah, Where are you located? Are you up in the offices?

Omar Thornton: WHEN THEY FIND ME, EVERYTHING WILL BE ALRIGHT. ESPECIALLY MANCHESTER IS A RACIST PLACE.

Dispatcher: Now what time did you get there today?

Omar Thornton: YEAH ABOUT 7 O'CLOCK.

Dispatcher: Yeah this morning?

Omar Thornton: ABOUT 7:00 A.M. THEY TOLD ME TO GET IN EARLY.

Dispatcher: What type of weapon do you have?

Omar Thornton: I HAVE A RUGER SR9, 15-SHOT.

Dispatcher: Ruger SR9? Automatic?

Omar Thornton: YEAH, AUTOMATIC.

Dispatcher: Is it a rifle?

Omar Thornton: NAH. IT'S A PISTOL. I LIKE PISTOLS TOO...THEY ARE MY FAVORITE.

Dispatcher: Now uh, you're going make the troopers and the people come in and catch ya? You're not going to surrender yourself?

Omar Thornton: WELL, I GUESS. I GUESS UH MAYBE SURRENDER. NAH THEY COME AND GET ME, HAVE THEM COME AND GET ME.

Dispatcher: Yeah We wouldn't want to do like that Omar. You know it's already been a bad enough scene here this morning we want you to relax.

Omar Thornton: I AM RELAXED. I AM CALMED DOWN.

Dispatcher: Yeah, we don't want any more you know people to lose their life here.

Omar Thornton: I'M NOT GOING TO KILL NOBODY ELSE.

Dispatcher: Okay.

Omar Thornton: I'M NOT COMING OUT. I'M NOT COMING OUT THEY GONNA HAVE TO FIND ME. YOU GONNA SEND SOME DOGS OR WHATEVER, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GONNA DO ANYWAY.

Dispatcher: How much ammunition you have with you?

Omar Thornton: I GOT UH...I SHOT UH OH.

Dispatcher: What was that?

Omar Thornton: IT'S ALRIGHT. I GUESS IT'S GOT ME...I HAVE TO TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS. TELL MY PEOPLES I LOVE THEM AND I GOTTA GO NOW.

Dispatcher: Omar?

Omar Thornton: YEAH?

Dispatcher: Omar I really want you to help me stop this situation okay?

Omar Thornton: OKAY.

Dispatcher: If you work with me we'll get this to stop, Okay? Omar? Omar? Omar? Ok. He's still alive.

CALL HANGS UP.

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State Police Public Information Officer Lt. Paul Vance calls the dispatcher, Trooper William Taylor, a hero for keeping the suspect on the phone for such a long period of time. State Police say they confronted Thornton while he was still alive following the conversation, but then he killed himeslf right in front of State Troopers.